Whether I’m roping for practice or money, whether I’m at the NFR or a backyard jackpot, my number one focus when I back in the box is rope handling. Before I get off and flank and tie, I have to rope the calf around the neck.
I learned to rope from my older brother, Jason. One thing Jason instilled in me from when I was a little kid was to play other sports. Throw a football. Throw a baseball. Shoot a basketball. In all of those cases, your goal is to deliver the ball. And you do that by learning how to grip, release and follow-through. The same is true with roping.
The Grip
I want just the right amount of spoke—the distance between the rope’s eye (aka, hondo) and where I grip the rope with my right hand. The farther your hand is from the eye, the more range you have, but the less control you have over the loop. Find your balance between range and control and stick with it every time you rope.
The Release
My brother always taught me to release the loop as I swing it over my left shoulder. That positions the tip down and in front of my face and creates a high-percentage catch loop.
The Follow-Through
After I release, my arm and hand continue in a fluid movement in the direction of the target. It’s just like throwing a football. If I start with the right grip, release over my left shoulder and follow-through, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, that loop will go around the calves’ necks. The one time I miss is when the calf stumbles or darts to the left after I’ve already released. That’s just bad luck.
